The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has said employers of essential services providers should ensure their workers have exemption letters which they produce at checkpoints to avoid inconveniences.
This comes after Vice President Constantino who doubles as the minister of Health and Child Care recently reimposed a stricter national lockdown at the backdrop of a spike in coronavirus cases.
Under the new lockdown regulations, movement will be a preserve for essential services providers whom the police say need some identification.
Speaking on Sunday ahead of the lockdown which is scheduled to come into effect this Tuesday, national police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, said police are ready to enforce the tightened lockdown regulations. He said:
Remember last time on issues to do with essential services, companies were supposed to issue exemption letters and these letters were verified at checkpoints. If what is said by the Government is taken into consideration, officers on checkpoints will have to verify if one is an essential service worker or not.
It means companies or institutions that fall under essential services must also assist by providing the letters so that their workers can produce them at checkpoints to avoid inconveniences.
I want to warn them that they will be arrested if they try to bribe their way when they are not in the essential service sectors.
People should just stick to what has been said by the Government. There is no compromise, there is no going back on what has been said by the Government.
What it entails is that only those providing essential services will be reporting for work and the rest should stay at home and only travel when it’s really necessary.
He said police have started implementing some of the new regulations which came into effect on Saturday adding that over 4000 people have since been arrested for flouting the regulations.
More: Chronicle
